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Newsflash: Significant Percentage of Online Reviews Are By Paid Flacks

In case you hadn't realized already, a significant proportion of online opinion is nothing more than paid advertising. Is there an app that detects bullshit? From Market Watch:

On Monday, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced that 19
companies agreed to cease their practice of writing fake online reviews
and pay hefty penalties for false advertising and deceptive business
practices. Dubbed “Operation Clean Turf,”
his investigation found that these businesses – ranging from bus
companies to teeth whitening services — systematically tried to game the
system by paying freelance writers from Philippines, Bangladesh and
Eastern Europe between $1 to $10 per review. Schneiderman’s office cited
a 2011 study by Michael Luca, assistant professor at Harvard Business
School, which said a one-star rating hike on Yelp can mean a 5% to 9%
rise in restaurant revenue.